The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has no plans to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to use his powers under section 44 to speed up construction of water management projects to help tackle the drought, says its deputy chief.
Suthep Noipairoj said all projects must take into account current laws and procedures, especially projects that will have an impact on peoples' livelihoods and the environment.
Previously, Thaweesak Thanadechopol, the RID's planning division chief, raised the possibility of asking the prime minister to use his special powers under Section 44 of the interim charter to speed up work on the controversial Mae Wong dam in Nakhon Sawan, and a water diversion plan from the Mekong River to the Chi and Mun rivers in the Northeast.
Mr Thaweesak said the department has carried out studies on the project but no progress has been made.
"Previously, the RID conducted several studies about environmental impacts, but could not move forward with the projects," he said.
Suthep: Careful study needed
Mr Suthep, however, said the process of approving water projects should go through proper procedures.
"The department has no plans to ask the PM [to use Section 44],'' he said. "We will proceed with everything under the law as the projects will have an impact on the environment and livelihoods, which means a careful study is needed.
"We don't think those projects will happen in the near future," he added.
Regarding the drought and problems faced by farmers, Mr Suthep said the amount of water in key dams is on the rise because of a monsoon trough currently passing through Isan and the North.
As of Monday, about 7.9 million cubic metres of water had reached the Bhumibol dam, 18 million cu/m had reached Sirikit dam, 3.8 million cu/m had fallen at Khwae Noi Bamrungdan dam in Phitsanulok and 650,000 cu/m had been added to Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri province.
Mr Suthep said the department will discharge about 5 million cu/m of water from the Bhumibol dam until the middle of August, which should be enough for all 1.1 million rai of rice fields located in the Central Plains.
"We have seen good signs for the time being but it doesn't mean we will lower our guard on water-saving.
"Distributing six million cubic metres of water to farmers is actually not enough for farming. They must use water under proper management," he said.
The RID will discharge water from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat to Klong Chai Nat, then to Klong Pasak at a rate of 45 cu/m per second and another 20 cu/m per second to the Tha Chin River, which will bring much-needed help to farmers in the lower central province.
This level of water flow will be maintained for the next 10 days, he said.
